Teachers are the ‘guardians of our future’, says UN deputy chief
Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, was speaking a day after the latest wave of Russian airstrikes across the country, with at least 23 people killed in the capital, Kyiv.
In every corner of the world, educators are making choices that echo across generations – influencing everything from the preservation of forests to the writing of poetry, the building of bridges to the holding of peaceful elections.
Their work, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, is "the beating heart of education, the cornerstone of sustainable development, and the guardians of our future."
Speaking Thursday at the opening of the UNESCO World Summit on Teachers in Santiago, Chile, Ms. Mohammed called for urgent global action to address the deepening teacher crisis.
"Let us honour their influence with the policies and the respect that teachers need, and future generations deserve," she urged, laying out a five-point plan to support educators and strengthen education systems worldwide.
A crisis with global consequences
The deputy UN chief warned that the world is facing a "deepening teacher crisis" that threatens progress across the Sustainable Development Goals.
"We are failing our teachers," she said, pointing to a global shortfall of 44 million educators needed to meet universal education targets by 2030.
She described the crisis as "a slow-burning emergency" that is undermining learning outcomes, widening inequalities, and weakening the social fabric of communities. "We must respond to those truths," she said.
No single actor can fix this alone
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay also addressed the Summit, emphasizing the complexity of the challenge. "No single actor will be able to bridge the gaps we see, and that is what brings us together here in Santiago," she said.
Ms. Azoulay highlighted the multiple causes behind the crisis: low and often delayed salaries, an aging teacher workforce, surging school enrolments without matching resources, and persistent gender inequalities – especially in STEM fields. Tackling these issues, she said, requires level heads and "clear thinking."
The numbers are stark
To meet global education goals by 2030, the world must recruit 44 million teachers – more than double the population of Chile. Yet, instead of progress, gains are being reversed.
"Too many young teachers are leaving within their first years," Ms. Mohammed said, citing low pay, heavy workloads, and lack of professional development. "Ultimately, we are asking the impossible of teachers: to build the future without the tools, trust and conditions they need."
Financing the future
The cost of recruiting the teachers needed by 2030 is estimated at $120 billion annually. But education financing is falling short.
"More than 40 per cent of the world's population lives in countries where governments spend more on debt interest payments than on education or health," she warned.
Aid to education is projected to drop by 25 per cent between 2023 and 2027, with a 12 per cent fall already recorded last year.
Five areas for urgent action
Ms. Mohammed laid out a five-point plan to tackle the global teacher crisis:
- Elevate the profession: Implement the High-Level Panel's recommendations — fair pay, stable contracts, safe workplaces, manageable class sizes, investment in upskilling, and clear career pathways.
- Finance education: Make education a top budget priority. Expand domestic funding, pursue debt relief, and consider a Global Fund for Teachers in Emergencies.
- Advance gender equality: Recognize and elevate women's leadership in a profession dominated by women but often lacking female decision-makers.
- Support digital transformation: Train teachers to lead inclusive digital learning, especially as AI reshapes the job market. Equip classrooms and prioritize human agency.
- Protect teachers in crisis zones: From Gaza to Sudan and Ukraine, educators are risking their lives. "We owe them more than admiration – we owe them protection, resources, and unwavering support."
From Summit to action
Ms. Mohammed urged leaders to turn the summit's outcomes into concrete commitments ahead of the World Social Summit in Doha this November.
She proposed:
- National teacher compacts with time-bound targets on recruitment, retention, and pay.
- A financing track that links aid and debt swaps to teacher investments.
- A teacher-led digital pact to set standards for AI and ed-tech, with funded training.
"Quality education is the foundation of everything we hope to achieve with the Sustainable Development Goals," she concluded. "Without teachers, none of it is possible."
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